Raasay Primary School

On Tuesday 1st October, the film crew arrived at Raasay Primary to start their location shots with the pupils and to record them singing. The day started off with a one hour workshop, as part of our ‘Developing Young Workforce’ DYW curriculum. The boys had brilliant fun learning all about camera and sound work, creating story boards and content for a fun film set in the school and school grounds. They then saw how the editing process worked and we are looking forward to the crew sending to us a copy of the short film which we are looking to review and this has inspired us to create a mini Halloween film after the holidays.

After the workshop, the boys seamlessly clicked into professional mode, to start the recording of the classroom shots and the cutaways for the song with Morag. The film crew then filmed the boys during their art lesson which had a focus on line, tone and colour in the context of portrait art. This was the second lesson on producing a portrait of Calum MacLeod using their Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to create the effect.

After lunch, everyone headed out for the outdoor filming. We sent out an invite to the community to join us on location and to hear the boys singing – accompanied by Morag Henriksen and Ronan Martin on the viola. It was a glorious autumn day with a stunning backdrop. The film crew also had a drone for aerial footage and we can’t wait to see the final result.

“The boys have had an amazing experience working with the film crew, Kieran and Tom and also Morag and Ronan. Tom and Kieran fed back to me at the end of the filming how engaged, articulate and competent the boys were but also how much fun they had working with them. Lots of laughs, jokes and quick witted responses with belly laughs aplenty. Indeed they enjoyed it so much that they have offered to do an online session with the boys nearer to the airing of the programme. This will add to the excellent experiences they have had.

A huge thank you also to Morag. The boys loved meeting her and she kindly brought in crystals and other little artefacts relating to what the children had been showing her in the classroom, adding to their collection. Morag said she had a marvellous time; “all of it, everything and that it was she who was given an enormous gift by all at Raasay Primary by having the opportunity to work with the pupils and staff.” Ronan said he had thoroughly enjoyed the day and is planning to come back again soon to do some music workshops with the boys. What amazing ambassadors our boys were for, not only our school, but our island community. A huge well done to all!” Wilma Duncan, Head Teacher

Two weeks ago, Raasay Primary received an email asking us if we would like to be involved in some filming for ‘The One Show’. The producer detailed that the film crew were looking at featuring a piece within the show on Calum MacLeod – otherwise know as ‘Calum the Road’ who single-handedly built a road to connect Brochel with Arnish. The children have been studying significant individuals from the past with a focus on explorers e.g. Shackleton, learning about their resilience and endurance. We thought that this project tied in really well with our Social Studies topic as Calum himself is a very significant individual, in Raasay’s past and in present times. He was a local hero who exemplified resilience and endurance so we asked Morag Henriksen, who we met at the Alzheimer’s Ceilidh earlier in the term, if she could teach us the words she had written to the tune Calum’s Road. She sang it at the community event and we were keen that she would come in anyway so this was the perfect opportunity to make it happen sooner. She visited the school last week and we had great fun showing her round our school, learning how to play the bodhran and practising the song.

We are delighted that chanter sessions have resumed – taking place every Friday morning, either online or in person. We are lucky that this term, we managed to get two in-person visits from Angus McPhee, our Chanter Tutor. Our younger boys are just starting out on their chanter journey and all three boys are enjoying Angus’s weekly sessions. Angus is a big part of our school life and he joined us for our Prizegiving at the end of last session when he piped the children in and played our School composed tune ‘Damsels and Dragonflies’ which was written by our previous piping tutor, Iain Ruairidh Finlayson for the opening of our school pond back in 2010.

Pupils identified, during their first Pupil Council meeting, that they really enjoyed Weaving Club last session and that this was something that they really wanted to continue with over the session ahead. Weaving Club has been taking place this term every Thursday after school, run by our local Raasay Weaver, Lillian MacLeod. The boys are delighted with their hand-woven scarves which came off the looms this term. Their next Weaving Club sessions involve developing their skills to use two shuttles, rather than one.

At a recent Pupil Council meeting, pupils identified After School Clubs that they would like to plan and lead themselves. The first of these was a Science Club – our P5 pupil decided on the theme, made a list of resources required and then led the Club. The first Club was all about crystals – and the boys grew crystals on a tree template to understand how they formed. They also experimented with citric acid and baking soda to replicate a volcanic eruption. The second Science Club will be all about ‘digging for treasure and gem stones’.

This term our Kayak sessions have resumed as part of our weekly P.E.. Pupils are building on their skills from last session and this week they were learning how to use their oar as a rudder. The pupils are working towards an accreditation ‘Paddle Sport Discover’.

Pupils were delighted to once again attend the monthly Community Kitchen Lunch at the Hall and help to serve the delicious lunch to all who attended. The lunch this time was even more special having been created completely from locally grown fruit and veg. Thank you to all the amazing cooks and volunteers who work so hard to make this happen.

On Monday 9th September, pupils in the Primary school undertook a workshop with Climavore. This was a creative activity which investigated local knowledge, carried through Gaelic song, folklore, traditions and recipes around shells and the island’s coast in a fun and creative way. The outcome of the activity was a design on a cotton flag which will be photographed as part of a wider Climavore project. The flag will then ‘come home’ to Raasay and will be hung in the Community Hall.

We are delighted to welcome all our pupils and parents back to a new term at Raasay Primary School. It is even more special this year as we have the Nursery up and running again with three new pupils. They are all enjoying getting to know their new Nursery setting and settling in to routines. We look forward to updating you with all the news of school and nursery as the term goes on. We also welcome Katie McFadzean as our Early Years’ Support Worker to our team.

We held the first of our Pupil Council meetings on Thursday 22nd August and the Office Bearers were elected as follows: Chair, Alexander; Secretary, Harrison; Treasurer, Eachann. The boys presented why they thought they might be good in certain jobs with Alexander making a very good case for being Chair, saying that he would listen, give everyone a chance to speak and would help other office bearers. Harrison said he would be happy to be Secretary but might need some help from the Chair and Treasurer – all agreed to this. Eachann identified that he would be good as Treasurer as he is very good at number and money and he thought he would make a good job of it. The boys created a playground rota to reflect the changes of pupils in the new session. After School Clubs were also an item on the agenda with this session’s first pupil-led club being a Science Club on some Wednesdays this term. This will be run by Alexander. There is a plan to run drama After School Club Sessions in term 2 and with support from the Parent Council, it is hoped that Eachann will be running a Music Club in term 3, with Harrison running a History Club in term 4. All boys are keen to develop their interests in these areas by running these clubs after school.

Alzheimer’s Scotland Community Ceilidh – on Friday 23rd August, our pupils were invited to attend a ceilidh in the hall organised by Alzheimer’s Scotland. In the morning, the pupils learnt about Alzheimers and how if affects people. In the afternoon, the boys enjoyed being part of the audience listening to some of the songs and music sets before taking to the stage themselves and singing some of their Gold Medal Mod songs. It was a lovely way to end the first week of term and the audience really enjoyed hearing the Gaelic singing.

As part of our school ‘traditions’ the P7’s get to choose how they would like to spend their last morning in Raasay Primary. This year was no exception with our P7 pupil choosing an ‘I’m a Celebrity’ themed last day. This was a take on the popular TV show with it being an ‘I’m a P7 Get me out of Here’ event. Before the events kicked off, all pupils started the day with a film which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. After break, the boys had lots of fun challenging the P7 to some of the dishes linked to our Christmas show – Pirates of the Hebrides. Dishes included: ‘Sea Wolf Seonaidh’s Fish Bones in an Octopus Jus’, ‘Peasan’s Bird Poo’, ‘Pirates’ Grog’, ‘Cailleach Liath’s Snot’ and the last course being ‘Eye, Eye Captain’ . These dishes were made up of a variety of foods that would challenge the palate, however, our Captain took them in his stride and, despite, ‘getting them down the hatch’ it is safe to say that he wouldn’t be going for seconds! There is little doubt that he challenged himself and surprised his fellow crew with his attitude and resilience to each dish.

The next part of his choice for the morning involved getting extremely wet (and not just with the weather!) – all the boys donned their wetsuits and spent the rest of the morning on the soapy slip-slide – organised by parents. The bubble machine was in full swing despite the wind and great fun was had by all.

After a quick dry off and change, everyone sat down to a much-needed hot lunch. There wasn’t an anchovy or octopus on sight for this (thank goodness!). As part of the P7 last day, pupils in P7 get to choose what they would like for their last lunch. This year’s choice was burger and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The day ended with our P7 being presented with a school year book, which documented our P7’s journey from Nursery through to the end of P7. There was time to reminisce and look back with laughter and fondness at the pictures before ringing the bell for the last time this year. There was the traditional P7 bumps and a small ‘Guard of Honour’ at the gate for our P7 as he left for the last time as a pupil of Raasay Primary. It has been a wonderful year and we wish him all the best on the next part of his journey.

“Thank you to everybody who supports our school throughout the year and special thanks to all Staff, Parents and the wider community – wishing everyone a wonderful summer.” Mrs Wilma Duncan, HT